Clipper dunk-fest ends Grammy trip on high note

The Clippers' Blake Griffin goes up to dunk over Philadelphia's Spencer Hawes during the third quarter, one of 11 dunks the Clippers recorded in a 107-90 victory. RON CORTES, MCT

PHILADELPHIA – If you had forgotten, Monday night the Clippers' reminded the NBA just how good they are when Chris Paul is healthy.

In his third game back from a bruised right kneecap, Paul carved up the Philadelphia 76ers for 21 points and 11 assists in less than 25 minutes in the Clippers' 107-90 victory at Wells Fargo Center.

"Without him, we're a pretty good team," Jamal Crawford said. "With him, we're talking about us as a top team. Now we're talking about us at the top of the league.

"That's unbelievable."

The Clippers did plenty of unbelievable things Monday in the final game of their season-long eight-game trip.

A quick start had Philadelphia on its heels. The second unit tightened the clamps defensively and helped hold the 76ers to 11 points in the second quarter.

And in the third, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan started making plays above the rim, sending the crowd into a chorus of "ooh's."

Griffin struck the loudest blow, going over and through Philadelphia center Spencer Hawes for a left-handed dunk.

"That was nasty," Paul said. "But I've almost come to expect it."

Jordan added a pair of tip-dunks in the quarter, including one where "his chest was almost in the rim," according to Paul.

"We have two of the top five most athletic players in the entire NBA on our team," Paul said.

The athleticism led to 11 dunks Monday, including six for Griffin, as the Clippers were able to lead by as many as 32.

"We're able to get to places we wanted to get to on the floor, and that starts with our defense," Griffin said. "We got the ball early in the shot clock, got out into transition and that forces teams to scramble a little bit."

The victory brought the Clippers' record to 4-4, ending the eight-game Grammy road trip.

The Clippers' Blake Griffin goes up to dunk over Philadelphia's Spencer Hawes during the third quarter, one of 11 dunks the Clippers recorded in a 107-90 victory. RON CORTES, MCT
The Clippers' DeAndre Jordan finished a dunk over Philadelphia's Spencer Hawes, one of 11 dunks on the night for the Clippers in their 107-90 victory. H. RUMPH JR, AP

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